St. Louis, MO → Chicago, IL
Moving to Chicago costs you $276 a month
−$3,312 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
| Per month | St. Louis | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,583 | $8,209 | +$625 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,905 | $2,130 | +$225 |
| Take-home pay | $5,679 | $6,079 | +$400 |
| Rent | $1,144 | $1,828 | +$684 |
| Getting around | $545 | $392 | −$153 |
| Groceries | $368 | $408 | +$40 |
| Healthcare | $414 | $459 | +$45 |
| Utilities | $230 | $255 | +$25 |
| Everything else | $322 | $357 | +$35 |
| Left over | $2,656 | $2,380 | −$276 |
To break even in Chicago, you'd need to earn
$103,500
Household gross, versus $91,000 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as St. Louis does now.
The tax difference alone
−$478
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.1% in St. Louis, 25.9% in Chicago.
St. Louis, MO in full
The lowest home prices of any metro over 2 million people.
Chicago, IL in full
World-class city amenities at Midwest home prices, funded by 2.1% property tax.
The reverse move
Same two cities, but starting from Chicago on Chicago wages.
Chicago → St. Louis →Rent is Zillow's asking rent for each metro; taxes and living costs are modelled. An estimate, not a quote or tax advice. How this is calculated.